Servant of Zero
by Asakust
Summary: A one-shot story. This chapter was formerly a part of a long fanfic series I had intended to write featuring Archerko, a Holy Grail war in the making in Halkeginia and several other anime heroes crossing over as servants.


**Asakust Presents:**

**Infinite Fantasy Crafts**

**(A Zero no Tsukaima and Fate / Stay Night crossover)**

[Prelude – Memory]

_The Throne of Heroes, the greatest paradise for a Heroic Spirit, if is filled with everything a man or woman would want in a life time… but there is nothing for me here. A place of infinite time and yet it is also a place where time simply doesn't exist. This is an existence one would not wish on another and yet our numbers only increase._

_ 'Wait…' If time does not exist then… how do we? Well it's silly to think about it. It's the universe's system after all. A way for the universe to protect its existence by creating a defense system that cannot possibly be understood by a mortal mind. I'm no longer mortal, but regrettably I still do not understand the inconsistencies and the impossibilities. But I suppose it doesn't matter. _

_I don't know about these other "fortunate" souls but I don't know what I've done to deserve to become a Heroic Spirit. I'm an unknown, even though I did go out of my way to help people. But I'm definitely not like most of the heroes here. I wonder… Maybe it was enough that someone believed that I was a hero… who am I kidding. It's dissatisfying to not know. Sadly all I can do now is wait to be summoned for something._

_ While I'm waiting… I allowed my mind to wander in my memories. ―_

_A beautiful dark haired girl with emerald eyes smiles at me as she pushes me down my futon. Her long, soft and silky hair flows and caresses the sides of my face as she slowly closed in to seal our lips into a passionate kiss. I felt her hand on my breast as she gently cups them to tease me, pleasure me and make me want her more. Her attention returns to our mouths because she slides her tongue into me igniting my passion faster than I had expected. Her free had found the small of my back, a personal weak spot at least where pleasure is concerned, as she knew I could never bring myself to leave her so long as she's touching me there._

_I gasp for a breath and moaned intensely, she always knew what could excite me and she rarely has to use the same trick twice… in a week (considering how much we do it- that's a big thing)._

"_Does it feel good, Sempai?" She asked seemingly coy. She always did. Even though we both knew who was the aggressive one between us when it comes to the act of love. I don't know if she enjoyed acting like it… or if she knew I enjoyed it when she acted and spoke in polar opposites in bed._

"_Do you really have to ask? You already know… you always know, Sa-" _

'_Huh? I can't remember her name…'_

_She giggled softy. Her smile like the - that warmed my -. _

'_Huh? What's happening?...'_

_She then proceeded to - _

'_To what?'_

_- with a gentl- - _

'_My memory... What is happening? '_

_I switched to a different memory. Let's see… I know! London! I went to London to study magic with S-'s 'whose?' older - 'what?' - 'who?' Rin. I was her apprentice even though technically and legally I was a member of the - 'what?' clan. She had told me to keep my - 'what?' - 'my what?' a secret._

'_What the hell is wrong with me?' I asked myself as I try and dug for another memory._

_I remember a small girl with Silver white hair. She would call me -_

_But I could not remember… I could not remember anything. Not even what I was trying to do just now. I was left with this odd feeling that I'm forgetting something incredibly important to me._

'_Nothing.' I thought to myself. 'I can remember… nothing.'_

_It was then that I noticed that my existence was being pulled towards another plane. It seems the time has come for me to fulfill my duties as a heroic spirit. 'Wait? I'm a he... a what?'_

_A flood of information washed into my mind like a dam bursting into an empty river bank. Tristain, Gallia, Albion, Romalia… languages I've never spoken, information I've never thought I needed to know, nor knew existed. I felt oddly burdened by suddenly knowing so much about an unfamiliar world… when I don't even remember my own face._

_The light around me changes. My spiritual body was being pulled into a living world where I will be bound, albeit temporarily, to something or someone to fulfill a certain task. But then I passed a red light, possibly the last boundary of the spiritual plane, and I'm hit with one last bit of information._

'_Servant class: Archer'_

[Prelude Out]

[Servant of Zero]

'Please. Oh lucky card. Please grand me success in my summoning today.' Louise prayed vehemently in silence as she touched the card she had in her pocket. It was a family heirloom that had a great two hundred years long of history of helping her family amass their fortune and power. Her father had sent it along with teasing letter to her a few days ago, telling her that if this didn't increase her fortune he doesn't know what will.

This lucky card was said to have been a creation of the founder, although she doesn't believe that as it didn't look that old. She never believed that it was lucky either. But for today, she was willing to cast aside her disbelief and accept its stories as fact and true.

"Miss Valliere." Her teacher called.

It was her turn. The time Louise had dreaded the most for the past two hours had come. It was her turn to summon her familiar. There was no delaying it now. Everyone here has had their turn. Everyone had summoned something on the first try, whether it was successful or not to them was merely a matter of personal taste.

She walked forward, while she called upon all her courage to stop her legs from shaking. Each step felt heavier than the last. With each step her hold on the wand grew tighter and tighter. Each next step was leading her closer to shadow of humiliation that encompassed a tiny speck of hope for monumental success.

She stopped a few feet away from her teacher, Mr. Colbert. A rather nice man, especially if you ignore the baldness. He has been most tolerant of her failings and she was sure that he'd let her try summoning as many times until she got something. However her pride would probably be terribly be dashed by her peers before she could make a second attempt. But then again… maybe not, but she would be hurt by their jeers to be sure.

So she- MUST NOT FAIL! Any familiar was fine! She initially wished for a dragon or a griffin, but a snake, a dog, a sparrow, or even a rat was fine. She can live without outdoing Kirche and everyone else. But she couldn't possibly live with failing to summon a familiar.

'So anything was fine.' She thought.

'Please come to me.' She begged to who ever might be listening to her thoughts.

Yet deep in her heart and her soul, she truly wished for it. The most devoted, beautiful, and powerful familiar.

She breathed out her doubts and raised her want. "To my Servant that exists somewhere within the ends of the Universe!"

Ignoring the mumbles of her peers she prayed both a loud with her voice and with her soul. "To the holy, beautiful, and powerful familiar, I appeal to you from my heart as I chant, Answer my guidance!" She then waved her wand above her head once, twice and thrice to gather all her magic she could muster and waved her wand down until it was directly in front of her. When the air was sliced again when the wand traced at the path it had previously traveled- it exploded.

The resulting explosion of course triggered caused a big enough blast that most of the second year students were forced off their feet and onto their behinds or their hands and knees. Some had begun to jeer and said that they knew this was going to happen. Some of them just kept their thoughts to themselves, although not all of them did so to be nice but because there was smoke in their lungs or dirt in their mouths.

But Louise ignored it all. Her mind was focused on a continuous prayer to god for her success. She eyes focused in the smoke front of her. And when it cleared enough- her heart sank. There was nothing there. No snake, no dog, no sparrow, not even the rat she was willing to settle with. She had failed.

"Louise!" She heard Montmorency call her. She sounded worried and shock, which surprised Louise as she had expected Montmorency to be the third most annoying person when it comes to teasing her. But then again it could be a trick so, so she steeled herself and turned to her drill haired classmate.

The blond pointed at something on her person and she noticed that she wasn't the only one… everyone was. But she refused to be tricked. "What?" She asked with both her knuckles on her waist as she tried to put up a brave front.

"Your pocket! Look at your pocket!" Kirche answered for everyone.

Louise looked down and saw that her pocket was glowing. 'The Card!' her mind yelled. In panic she took the card out of her pocket; however the moment it touched the remains of her magic in the air she felt a sharp pain on the back her forearm just below her left wrist. "Ow!" She almost screamed as she threw the card behind her and away from the crowd.

The card spun a little then froze in the air where it still glowed. It then aligned itself horizontally and spun faster and faster. It gathered the smoke from Louise's failed spell and began to grow. It changed colors passing all the colors that their eyes could register at least twice before it decided to stay red. The circle began to break up pieces of itself as it slowly lowered to the ground.

Louise could only watch it with her mouth slightly agape. It was forming a magic circle and a powerful one at that. The strangest thing of all was that she could feel her magic in it slowly getting stronger. 'Was the card answering my wish?' she thought with her heart that started to fill with hope.

The magic circle formed. The majority of the symbols were familiar to the teacher and the students, however the script that was inside and around the symbols were written in a language that didn't resemble their own at all.

The students had begun talking amongst themselves to try to rationalize what was happening. One of them theorized that Louise was cheating by using a magic item that someone, she had paid, to make in advance to help her summon properly except that the paid magician overestimated Louise and it failed to help her without garnering notice. Another thought that Louise failed so badly this time that thing in her pocket, whatever it was, reacted.

However before their slanderous talk fell on Louise's sharp ears; the magic circle's light flashed brighter as if a dying star and released a burst magical energy that felt like a strong wind. Everyone was forced to close their eyes from both the blinding light and sharp gust.

When Louise opened her eyes and couldn't help but feel captivated by what she saw. She could feel the power emanated from it… what stood before her was something far beyond her dreams.

The students and teacher were awed by what stood in meters from them. A tall young woman clad in unfamiliar but elegant garments of red, black and platinum stood with her eyes closed where the glowing circle once was. Her clothes covered most of her body, however, the design made it so that it accented her curves and was cut in a way that did not restrict movement which left the rest to the viewer's imagination. Her long slender legs were embraced by a seemingly tight pair of pants made from an unfamiliar shiny black fabric that had belts sewn into the design for some unknown purpose. Her face was sharp, flawlessly white and was so absolutely beautiful one would easily assume her a noble. Her long silver white hair had a faint red glow and was tied into a long braid held by a dual sided ribbon of black and red. When her eye lids rose some of the students were barely able to hold their gasp when they saw that what had been hidden were a dangerous pair of brilliant blood red irises.

Louise suppressed a shiver from her spine when their eyes met. She was happy and yet at the same time she was afraid. She didn't know why, but she knew that this woman could snap everyone's neck in a blink of an eye. She tightened her left hand which she closed, albeit unconsciously, into a fist when the pain, on her left arm, that she had numbed earlier by will alone reached a level she could no longer ignore.

The white haired woman must have taken her small move as a signal and walked towards her slowly. No one spoke. No one moved. It was a moment that silence was truly deafening. The only sound that Louise heard was that of her heart, thumping with each step that young woman took.

The woman stopped a few feet from Louise. Her eyes stared straight at hers as if to peer into her soul. And just when Louise thought she would collapse from her strong gaze, the woman closed her eyes, her hands spanked her outer half-skirt half-cape, dropped to her left knee, placed her left hand behind her and her right fist at her heart. It was a most gallant pose for someone of knight-like stature to make for someone deserving of great respect.

The woman's actions were so sudden and unexpected that Louise had unconsciously stepped back in surprise even though she felt very flattered. She mentally kicked herself for reacting negatively because she had decided, albeit unconsciously, not to make any sudden moves. Although the woman herself did not seem to have paid it any mind.

"Servant, Archer." Her eyes didn't leave hers as she spoke in a soft bell like voice that was most suited for songs. Louise then watched as she bowed her head as if to show her loyalty by being the first to look away. "I have come in heed of thy summons, Master."

'The Archer' was the inscription that was written on the card her father had sent her. She took a glance at the spot where the young woman in front of her appeared. The card that glowed and turned into a magic circle to summon her was no more. "Ar...cher." Louise uttered nervously.

"Yes, My Master?" The woman looked up to her again. This time however her eyes didn't hold the strong assessing stare that they did earlier. And just like that… the fear she felt went away so quickly that Louise wondered if she had imagined it. Was the fear she felt a delusion, the result of surprise after laying her eyes on such an unfamiliar visage or did the unorthodox way that she was summoned might have merely suggested fear into her. Because right now she knew there was nothing to fear from those empty red orbs.

Before Louise noticed what she was doing, she had already moved directly in front of white haired woman. She raised her right hand to cup 'Archer's' cheek as a guide for her to follow when she closed her eyes, allowed her body to slowly leaned down and plant a kiss onto her 'familiar's' lips. She was supposed to recite a spell to bind her familiar to her, but she thought some of the words it comprised as was unfit to be spoken.

So with instead with her heart she chanted, 'Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers, I am Louise Francoise Le Blanc de La Valliere. Please bind this noble being's fate with mine.'

Everyone was mesmerized by the spectacle. Although some of the young men had broken from the shock of Louise summoning a human familiar and instead were transfix by the very simple fact that two perfectly beautiful girls were kissing each other. Some of those young men were bleeding from their noses, while others couldn't help but drool at how deliciously sinful the two looked.

The contract kiss lasted for only a moment, but it felt like days for Louise. Her rationality, common sense and dignity returned to her shortly after she had broken contact, which made her blush so hard she could have sworn steam came out her ears.

It was then that a flash of light appeared on 'Archer's' right hand. However, to everyone's surprise the light separated into seven distinct flashes and began to roam about her body. They watched as the lights moved around on her clothes as if trying to find her skin again where it was supposed to embed the runes that would mark her as Louise's familiar. But the lights would not return to her left hand nor would they find themselves on her skin. Instead they stopped near the hems of her clothes like near her collar, on her shoulder, the end of her sleeve, the end of her skirt, the back of her red half-coat, on the belt of her pants and on her tip of her armored shoe and marked them with runes.

The one who wore the clothes being marked simply regarded the runes with disinterest. She turned to her master who now seemed unsteady on her feet. Still on her knee she offered her left hand, with a silent elegance, as support for her master.

Louise takes the offered hand, as if it was natural for her to do so, and regained her balance. But her legs still felt a little weak. No, that wasn't quite it. Her body felt spent. As if she had used up nearly a whole day's worth of energy into that one kiss.

A light coughing fit and a brought everyone back into the present. Mr. Colbert walked up to Louise and her familiar and quickly noted the runes on her for the record, and a personal inquiry as it wasn't everyday that one gets to see a routine magic being acting very differently from the norm. "Miss Valliere, that was quite a spectacle. I've heard rumors and stories of humans being summoned as familiars but I must admit I've always been skeptical about the possibility. Was that a reagent you used just now?"

'Huh?' Louise thought momentarily confused, but then realized what the card must have looked like to him and decided to agree. "Oh. Yes, Mr. Colbert. My father sent it to me. I didn't know how to use it, so I kept it in my pocket in hopes that at least my father's thoughts would guide my endeavor." She half lied, with a straight face that most nobles have been taught, trained and polished to have.

Mr. Colbert, of course had quite enough experience to feel when one was being untruthful, but he wasn't sure which part of it would be untrue so he decided to just let it go for now. "Hmmm… I see. Well I suppose it makes no difference. Had anyone failed, and it has happened before I assure you, I would have brought out a reagent from our supplies." He stated trying not to show his doubt. He then noticed that his strawberry blonde haired student was falling over. "Miss Valliere?"

Louise barely heard her name before she fainted into the arm of the one she had summoned, who seemed to have been expecting her to lose consciousness.

"I apologize, kind Sir." Mr. Colbert turned to Louise's familiar in surprise. "It seems my Master has used up all of her magical reserves to summon and give me form." He watched as the white haired woman used her free arm to wrap Louise's own cape around her, before she slid that same hand under her and carried her like a treasured princess.

The half balding teacher rubbed his chin understandingly. He found it rather unusual that magic could drain so much that it would make one faint. However, the young Valliere has always been a deviant when it comes to magic. He decided to keep his thoughts to himself; it was pointless to mention them to a familiar anyway. "So she's just tir-"

Before he could finish, the familiar correctively finished his words for him, "Exhausted."

Mr. Colbert nodded and had called on a maid to show 'Archer' to way Louise's quarters. The rest of the students had been dismissed to allow them to get to know their familiars. Most of the students, however, spent the free time given to then to spread the news about Louise's familiar.

It was already the next morning when Louise opened her eyes again. She felt light and rested, but disoriented. She raised her arm and noticed that her she was wearing her favorite nightdress. She looked out the window for a moment and tried to remember what happened. It felt like there was a very big gap in her memory, as if she had lost one whole day. She tried to remember what she did yesterday starting from the time she woke.

She recalled, waking up with a big feeling of regret after mouthing off at Kirche the night before. She tried to keep up the act all day. Luckily Kirche didn't bother as much that morning. In the afternoon she anxiously waited for her turn to summon a familiar; and yet with her name being last on the list only served to make things harder.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to notice the presence of the other person in the room until she was greeted with a familiar bell like voice. "Good Morning, Master."

"EEEP!" Louise squeaked and nearly jumped out of bed. She turned and found a familiar figure, whose presence immediately restored every little detail of what happened yesterday, beside her bed. "You're… the one I summoned yesterday."

The white haired woman nodded slightly, before she walked to the study table where a bowl Louise has never seen before sat. She reached in and wrung what seemed to be a wet white towel, then turn towards her again and sat on the side of her bed.

"Please close your eyes for a moment, Master." She asked as she unfolded and brought the towel.

"Ah, err, you do-hmpfu…" Louise tried to voice that she didn't have to do this for her. But the moment the towel, which she now realized was warmed to the perfect temperature, touched her face she simply relaxed and succumbed to the minor pampering. She almost guiltlessly enjoyed every gentle stroke of her 'familiar's' hand through the warm towel as 'Archer' attempted to remove the ill effects of sleep on her face.

"Yesterday's circumstances didn't allow you to bathe before bed, Master. Shall I draw one for you?" The white haired familiar asked her, without ending the gentle facial massage.

Louise didn't need to think about it and nodded in agreement. When she did, Archer stopped what she was doing and pulled away from her master with the cloth at hand. "Understood. Please give me a few moments." She said before she turned around and headed for Louise's bathing room to fill the tub with hot water.

After a few minutes she returned and informed her that her bath had been filled with warm water. Louise thanked her; she didn't know why… she's never thanked the help before. But then again this person wasn't 'the help' she was her 'familiar'. She walked into the bath and allowed herself to be disrobed.

She before she tied her hair into a bun above her head 'Archer' asked her, "Would you like me to wash your hair, Master?"

"No, it's fine." She realized that she was actually starting to feel a little guilty about the very devoted service and decided to refuse for now. Well that and because she didn't have time to wait for her hair to dry.

"Very well, Master." The white haired woman nodded and readied her body towel for her.

After the slightly awkward bath, mostly because of how intently she felt she was being watched as she bathed, Louise had 'Archer' help her dress into her uniform. Although, it was more like her 'familiar' knew exactly what to do and did so without being asked. There was a thick silence in the air; it was so thick that the rustling of her clothes didn't seem to exist. But Louise knew that she was the one at fault. The reason she was awkward had become obvious to her. She didn't know her familiar's name! Normally a familiar would be named by the summoner, but she lost consciousness yesterday and did not have the chance to. However such a… summon… would surely she have a name of its own. Also she just knew that Archer wasn't exactly her name. And so, she pondered how she should bring the subjected up.

Louise looked at her familiar's reflection through her mirror. She could not help but reiterate to herself that she truly was the most beautiful among all that was summoned. It is without question that she should have a wonderful and noble name that suited her splendor.

"Master." Her 'familiar's' enchanting bell like voice called out to her which gently beckoned her from her thoughts.

"Y-yes?" Louise didn't know why she stuttered or why she felt a bit shy towards her.

"I believe breakfast will be served soon." She stated so simply.

"Eh?" Louise turned towards the clock noticed that she was right.

Louise led the way towards the Alviss Dining hall with her enchanting 'familiar' following right behind her. The walk there seemed longer to Louise today. Actually everything seemed to take longer than it actually does. So no one could blame her if she wondered if this familiar had a magical effect on time.

When they reached the hall, Louise immediately voiced out something she realized. "Ah! I haven't made arrangements for your meals." She said it quite loud that she caught the attention of the students that were making their way to the hall which caused them to stop and look at her with disappointment, which only served to further redden her already warm face.

"There is no need to worry about that, Master. I do not require nutritional supplementation." Louise looked at her 'familiar' slightly confused by her words. "I can exist in this world through your magical powers alone." There were gasps and talks around them when the summoned woman declared her dietary requirements or extreme lack of which. Louise herself realized she had gasped upon hearing that her 'familiar' didn't need to eat. Such a convenient creature should not be possible.

Still confused she just nodded and mumbled, "I see."

Her 'familiar' acknowledge that as the end of the topic and moved on to a different subject, "Where shall I wait for you, Master?" she asked.

Louise seemed to be on a roll when it came to being perplex today as she found herself asking "huh?" with a slightly silly expression.

Instead of answering her verbally, 'Archer' decided to point at the tablet by the hall doors with a gracefully open palm. The tablet had the Dining hall's rules inscribed into them and Louise quickly realized that she had been pointing directly on the clause that stated, 'No Familiars in the Alviss Dining Hall.'

"Oh…" She realized now why she had asked where she was to wait. Louise thought for a moment that it was not a fair rule as it was made never expecting a human-like being as a familiar. However since her familiar did say that she did not need to eat, her presence might only serve as a distraction to some and she would rather not have people find anything to criticize to her about. "Take the exit in this path," she pointed at left side of the entrance to the dining hall, "and you'll find yourself in the courtyard grounds, circle around to your left until you see the grounds where all the other familiars are. I shall look for you there after I've had breakfast."

"Understood." She bowed as she stated her acknowledgement of her command. "Please enjoy your meal, Master." Louise noted that her 'familiar' had waited for her to enter before she executed her instructions.

When Louise reached her usual seat, she was surprised that those that sat around her were not her usual peers. To her left sat the bane of her school life, Kirche von Zerbst, and to her right sat someone she found just as annoying if only because of the way she kept her hair, Montmorency Margarita la Fère de Montmorency. To the front was Guiche de Gramont, the most annoying skirt chasing man she knows, along with a few of his friends to his side. All of them looked at her as if they had a question for her, but she decided that she'll pretend not to notice them unless they start talking.

She took her seat and proceeded to ignore everyone directly around her, which was a hard task because they were all staring straight at her. One long minute passed before Guiche decided to start for everyone. "Good Morning, Louise. You are looking extraordinarily refreshed today."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Louise grumbled out as she stared at him with a slightly disgusted expression, although she was minutely thankful that he didn't wait for her to reach the limits of her patience.

"Why nothing! Nothing at all!" He voiced in a heavily exaggerated voice that easily told everyone that he was up to something. "I only wanted to show something that I am proud to have made to you."

Louise signed inside. She felt resigned that nothing can stop him now; she might as well take it like a noble- or at least try to. "And what would this thing be?"

"It's just a painting. Of a Wonderful memory! That I just had to immortalize!" He said as he happily played his part as the eternal romanticist. He snapped his fingers as the signal for the two other boys at his sides to raise what looked like a canvas under a cloth. "Behold my breathtaking memory!" Guiche took hold of one corner of the cloth and pulled it off it one graceful motion. "I call it, 'The Kiss of Goddesses'!"

"Gawh-!" Louise hurriedly covered her own mouth to hold a very unaristocratic scream. Before her, held by two of her classmates, was a painting of her kissing her beautiful familiar. The painting was quite well done, although, magically painted and all that; it actually captured the essence of the scene perfectly. He had portrayed her quite beautifully and he captured the knightly elegance of her familiar. It was like looking at a princess and her champion. But Louise knew better, actually everyone knew better, that the only reason they would go to such lengths was because it would infuriate her more.

A few on lookers gave a few cat calls towards Louise (a most unbecoming act for young nobles), others commented about Guiche's artistic skills, while the most daring of students decided to tease Louise by being sarcastically exaggerating their 'positive' praises.

But to her good fortune, a teacher decided to come to the hall early today. "Mr. Gramont!" Everyone turned to see a disappointed looking Mr. Colbert stare straight at Guiche. Of course everyone took the teacher's entrance as the cue to split up and head for their tables. He waved his wand which caused the cloth that had just been removed to suddenly come to life and wrap itself onto the canvas. With another wave the painting levitated to him.

"I would like a word with you. I'm sure that's alright with you, Mr. Gramont." It wasn't a question, however, Guiche being Guiche he responded with a positive flair as if he wasn't the least bit in trouble and followed the teacher to one of the hall's corners.

"Ok! Now that was over," Kirche said as she leaned towards Louise. "Is that girl a fallen noble or something that you paid to pretend as your familiar?" She asked with a sparkle in her eye, knowing just how Louise would react.

This time Louise couldn't cover her mouth fast enough and let out a very unrefined shout. "WHAAAAAAAT!"

Kirche laughed as if taking Louise's reaction as a sign that she had been right. "Well everyone knows you couldn't have possibly summoned anything. And you didn't remember? The yard was empty the first explosion. So you faked it! She was paid to create that distraction and come out just in case you failed."

Louise fumed and tried to deny her accusations. "That's a lie! I did summon her."

But Kirche pretended not to hear her and continued. "I'll admit that she's quite stunningly beautiful. I'll accept that she looked very devoted when she carried you like a princess. And she's probably powerful if she can make such a flashy entrance. But still that was just some beautiful actor you're paying to play the part of your familiar for a while, right? Come on out it with it. You know you'll feel better if you just confess."

Her long nonsense however gave Louise enough time to think of a reasonable response. "I did no such thing! In the first place, it's not even possible to brand someone as your familiar unless you summon them." It was a good counter to her statements. After all, the summoning spell is the first step into installing the sense of loyalty and obedience to a familiar.

Her red haired enemy seems to have realized the error, but still decided to persist with her claims. "Who knows… but I'm convinced that she's some fallen noble you're paying to the part of a familiar."

Louise wanted to say more, but they were silenced by Mr. Colbert who passed by once more to tell them to be quiet so that they could begin the Morning Graces. Louise complied begrudgingly while Kirche puffed her chest with pride, she might not have won but she had the last word in (which in book counted as a technical victory).

After all the students had recited their graces, it was announced that classes were cancelled for all second year students to give them time to get acquainted with their familiars. Happy about the good news, most of the second years concentrated on their food so that they could meet up with their familiar sooner.

Louise finished her breakfast without any further incidents. For now she just wanted to be as far away as possible from Kirche and her demeaning smile. But it seemed like Kirche would have none of it and followed her out the hall.

"Stop following me!" Louise lashed out.

"I'm not following you. I just happen to be headed the same way."

Louise grumbled but walked on.

"Valliere." Kirche called her attention as they walked.

"What is it Zerbst?" Louise made sure she pronounced her family name laced with venom.

The flame haired woman simply shrugged it, as easily one did to a dry leaf. "Come out with it. Who is that woman really?"

"She's my familiar!" Louise strongly declared.

"Oh come on! Seriously, is she some kind of circus performer or your favorite servant from home?" Kirche had purposely lowered the status in hopes that Louise would make a mistake and reveal the truth while embarrassing herself in the process.

"She's my oh-" Louise was suddenly cut from what she wanted to say when she bumped into someone. "Sorry-huh?" She looked at who she had bumped into, a third year student or to be more exact a crowd of mix year students. "What's everyone looking at?" She asked a loud hoping someone in the crowd that blocked their path would answer.

"Louise!" She heard Guiche call out to her from the front of the crowd, his had up in the air motioned her to come over in a hurry. The mass of students separated into two neat masses as if the princess herself was the one passing. Ignoring the crowd's reaction, Louise walked over to Guiche and asked what the commotion was about. He pointed his alchemically made rose wand towards the middle of the courtyard. To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. And if she had to put in into words it would be something like this, 'she was bewildered into an utterly confounded state by the surprising sight that was so dazzlingly amazing and astonishing,' and even that didn't seem enough.

In the middle of the yard sat or laid just about every single familiar in the school. The few larger familiars were formed in a semi circle around the medium sized familiars. The medium familiars were huddled together and completely encircled the smaller familiars. And some of the smaller and smallest familiars were around or on the most peculiar familiar of them all… Louise's.

Louise slowly walked over and examined her 'familiar'. She seemed to be half sitting and half kneeling with her back straight and her face a front. A very peculiar position in her opinion, she probably would not be able to endure staying like that for even a few seconds, and from the look of the other familiars her 'familiar' has been in that position for quite some time. Her eyes were closed with her hands on her lap, which made Louise wonder what she was doing as she didn't seem to be asleep like the other familiars. She did not seem to mind or was affected by the presence of the smaller familiars that have made her head, shoulders, arms and legs as their bed or stand. It was quite serene scene actually… until, it seemed, her presence was noticed.

When her 'familiar' opened her eyes all the familiars on and around her awoke from their slumber. Some of them lazily stretched as if it was the best nap they had ever had. Some immediately jumped away full of energy. While others shot Louise a reproving look as if she had ruined their favorite treat.

Ignoring the other familiars, Louise softly called out to hers. "Archer." She watched her 'familiar's' head gracefully moved to face her. She observed her as eyes fell onto her and blinked softly a few times to adjust to the light her eyes took in.

"Yes, Master?" her voice didn't hold a hint of lethargy.

"Where you sleeping?" Louise just felt that she had to ask. A valid question since she was awake before her this morning.

"No, Master. I was conserving energy."

"… oh." Louise didn't really understand what she meant, but she supposed that 'Archer' meant that she was resting so as not to tire herself.

After the initial surprise, Louise noticed that most of the familiars didn't seem like they wanted to leave; so she took hold of 'Archer's' hand and half dragged her 'familiar' away from the other familiars so that their masters could finally collect them. She led them to the farthest table set up by the Academy's stewards.

When she sat both of them down to talk, she was reminded of how devoted her 'familiar', 'Archer', seemed to be; who instead of remaining seated, moved to get the tea for them without being asked. Louise didn't even get the chance to try to stop her and tell her that I was alright to leave such tasks to the maidservants.

Upon her return she poured a cup of tea for each of them and served two slices of cake. Louise eyed her curiously as she suddenly recalled the conversation earlier in front of the dining hall. "I thought you said that you don't eat?" she asked a little surprised that she had served a cup of tea and a cake for the both of them.

"It is not required, Master." 'Archer' corrected, but then asked, "Should I return my share?"

Because of all her emotionless responses, for a moment, Louise thought she had imagined the near infinitesimal hint of disappointment in her voice. She wasn't sure whether it was because she had almost denied it a serving of sweets or because she misinterpreted her wishes when she asked her to sit down and have tea with her. "No!- I mean… err… No, please enjoy."

"Thank you, Master." Louise blinked a few times wondering if she had imagined the barest hint of a smile on 'Archer's' lips when she said the word Master.

Louise took a sip of her tea and tried to observe her familiar without her noticing her doing so. She noted that although you could not see any expressions on her face as she ate. She seemed to relish each bite of the cake just like any girl. And before she even noticed it Louise began to relax. She seemed cold and dead, but really she was thoughtful and devoted. The familiars all like her. She wasn't what she expected when she cast the summon servant yesterday, but she could live with this.

Her Servant's bell like voice interrupted her thoughts with a gentle call, "Master."

"Hmm?" Louise turned to her.

"Does the cake not suit your tastes? Shall I get a different flavor?"

"No. That's not it. I'm just full from breakfast." Louise explained, but then a thought popped into her head. She pondered it for a moment and decided to try something. "Do you want it?" She offered as she pushed her plate closer to the center of the table.

"May I?" To Louise' surprise she almost sounded expectant.

So Louise pushed the plate passed her half of the table. "Please."

'Archer' took the plate and said, "Thank you." This time Louise was sure that she had a flashed her a slightly bigger hint of a smile. And even though it lasted no longer than the one earlier, Louise couldn't help but feel happy.

It was around after 'Archer' had taken her second bite out of the cake that Kirche decided to make her presence know. After Louise had left her with the crowds earlier, she took the time to observe her and her familiar. Seeing the exchange about the cake, she thought of something that she figured was good enough material to use to tease the smaller de La Valliere. "What is this Louise, are you already haggling with your servant's payment?"

Louise shot her an evil look, but refrained from saying anything.

Apparently not done she added, "I didn't know the Valliere family was having it hard with money that you'd need to give your own cake to satisfy your actor's payment."

"Would you stop spouting your nonsense, Zerbst!" Louise yelled. "She's not anything that you've been saying all day!"

"I don't believe it." Kirche claimed as she placed her hands on her sides in a haughty manner. "I'm sure that you just got the idea to hire her when Mr. Colbert told us about that novel about a Human familiar."

"When was that?" Louise asked, half curious and half furious.

"Around the end of our first year, which means you've had plenty of time to look for a good looking commoner and a real mage to help you with the trick."

"That's just your nonsense! Or are you saying that you can't take sight of someone better looking that you are?" Experience told Louise that no matter what Kirche will try to push her into defense with words, until she gets bored of the argument. So her only choice was to try to switch into a more aggressive posture in the argument.

"Hmph!" Kirche pouted slightly. Louise's words were true, but she can't admit to that- ever. "A commoner is a commoner. She can't possibly compare to me."

The argument between the two young noble ladies continued for a few minutes. Both of them would occasionally seem to have the last word in before it was met with a strong reprisal. However, it wasn't long until the two started adding arguments and counterarguments that weren't even related to the original topic. 'Archer' simply watched, ate her cake and listened closely to the quarrel. She easily understood that the origin of this particular spat was she herself, but she easily gathered that the reason that the two were fighting was something deeper... or possibly shallower depending on how one looked at it.

'Archer', who know understood the situation, turned to her master, who was glaring at her classmate as if to send her death, for a moment then turned to Kirche. "Please pardon my interruption." She said in a soft and cold voice.

Kirche and Louise turned to the white haired woman with slight surprise. To Louise 'Archer's' voice carried a feel of hostility even though she spoke in the same expressionless tone.

'Archer' stood from her seat leaving the dishware and silverware arranged so neatly on her side of the table. "Lady Zerbst, from what I've gathered, you do not believe that I am who my master says I am. Correct?"

"That's right." Kirche said before she sarcastically added, "Miss Familiar." at the end of her answer.

'Archer' ignored her sarcasm. "Then the most prudent course of action is to prove that I am in fact a summoned being, rather than a simple human 'commoner'. Correct?"

Kirche didn't appreciate imaginary diplomatic tone that her mind created as the supposed familiar spoke, but answered to confirm her statement. "I suppose so."

"Very well." 'Archer' bowed to Kirche before she walked past the red haired noble and towards the giant red lizard behind her. "Fiery one, can you assist me?" she asked the creature, who tilted its head in slight confusion. "It's simple. I need you breathe flames at my arm."

"WHAT!" Louise and Kirche, and many other students in the background, screamed out in shock.

"You can't do that that!"

"Are you crazy? My Flame's fire breath is pretty strong! I assure you won't get away with just a light burn."

Despite their reactions, 'Archer' walked further from away from her master and the crowd. She placed herself between the Kirche's familiar and wide open field. "It is the only method available to me at the moment to prove that I am in fact a familiar." She audibly replied.

"I can't let you get hurt for me!" Louise protested.

The white haired 'familiar' looked at Louise and said, "I will be fine, Master."

"Eh?" Louise's heart started to feel warm. She felt her 'familiar's' confidence even she showed no emotion.

'What is it with this familiar?' Louise thought. 'She's more than strange. She doesn't talk much, she doesn't show any of her feelings, she's too hard working, she doesn't need to eat but she can, she seems to like sweets, other familiars seem to love her, she talks with words of high intelligence and prudence… and yet she's acting reckless.'

She stared straight into 'Archer's' empty red orbs, and in that moment Louise realized something that her 'familiar' was trying to convey to her. 'Trust me.' The very words that she herself wished to someday convey to the people she loves.

Louise let out a sigh of resignation. "Alright."

"Hey Louise, I know you have more sense than this! Talk her out of this! Taking my Flame's fire breath on purpose is dangerous." Kirche felt that things had gotten completely out of hand and tried to talk some sense into Louise. She didn't want to hurt anyone, especially not with an audience. Her main magic element, fire, is quite destructive. It is this attribute that helped her summon her familiar, Flame, the fire salamander. She already had her familiar demonstrate to her yesterday how powerful its flames are. With the knowledge of its power, she had come to the conclusion that should anything bad happen it would be her fault.

"It's fine. I'll take responsibility if things go bad." Louise just looked at 'Archer' with eyes filled with trust.

"You do understand that if she's harmed, that you could get punished for negligence." Kirche wasn't exaggerating and Louise knew that.

It might have only been the start of the new school year, but she had already blown up one classroom last week. She wasn't punished as the headmaster held the teacher responsible; who despite the student's warning allowed Louise to try magic indoors. However intentionally allowing one's familiar to come into harm, would be a more serious offense and could result to expulsion. But Louise did not falter. She nodded sharply to Kirche.

Kirche lightly groaned in frustration. It was her turn to decide. The supposed familiar had proposed the method to prove that she is a summoned being, while the supposed familiar's master had given the dangerous proposal the go and was willing to take all responsibility. So all she could really do now was accept it, no matter how foolish it was. "Fine! If you're that resolved…" She then turned to her familiar, "Flame get ready."

'Archer' raised her arm so that the fire salamander could easily target it.

For a moment time seemed to have stood still, the air felt heavy and their lungs seemed empty. Everyone in the crowd didn't move, while quite far and quite nervous about what was going to happen they didn't want to miss a single thing either. Everyone wanted to know… what was with Louise's familiar? Was she really a commoner? A fallen noble? Or something more? Whatever she was… she was interesting, however, that could change depending on what happens after the flame breathing reptile fires at her arm.

Flame's mouth opened wide to inhaled- hard. It only took one command. "Fire!" before the flame tailed creature fired its breath directly at 'Archer's' raised arm. Everyone watched as the giant lizard's flames engulfed the white haired woman's arm. Some tried not to faint the smell of seared flesh and charred blood, while most simply tried not to throw up their breakfast.

'Archer' didn't flinch; she showed no reaction to pain or to the panic of those around her. She stayed exactly as she was before the flames hit her. She allowed the flame to continue burning her arm for nearly a minute before she turned and walked towards the fountain, where she plunged her still burning arm until all the flames were out. With the flames gone, she took out her hand from the water and shook her off the excess water. She then walked back towards Kirche and Louise and showed them her badly burned arm.

To the noble, everyone around them, the condition of her arm was a horrific sight. It had been burned beyond recognition; her flawless white skin was no more, the flesh was badly charred, and some parts clearly showed her roasted bones and ligaments. It was such a chilling thing to see that many of the other female spectators hid behind others or hugged each other for comfort. Kirche tried to stay firm and told herself that Louise was going to take responsibility. Louise stared at the scorched appendage, not sure of what she should be looking in at.

"Please watch." 'Archer said as she allowed more of her magical energy into her arm. She had temporarily blocked off with her will earlier so that the lizard's flames could easily burn it. But when the flow of her magic returned to her arm, it started restoring the damaged limb. The black and charred parts cracked before them broke away and turned into dust. Her red swollen flesh quickly repaired and rebuilt itself. Her flawless skin returned as if it was never gone. And to add to the shock even her clothes was restored as if the attack had never happened. The only thing that was left to prove that the event did happen was that part of her sleeve was wet from when she had dunked her arm into the fountain.

Their audience gasped at the sight. Some were shocked to the point of fainting. Some of them relieved. While others became even more frightened by the fact that she could heal herself from such heavy damage.

"That can't be possible…" Kirche couldn't believe it. From her knowledge it should be impossible to heal at such a rate. Even the strongest healing reagents could only speed up the process of healing by hours. This… woman restored her arm in seconds. Without a spell or any healing item… her arm just fixed itself. It was then that she understood the meaning of all of it. This woman was demonstrating that she was not the same as them. She might not have explained whether she was a commoner or not from where she came from, but the moment she showed her something that she thought as impossible, made possible, she proved at least one thing… she wasn't from anywhere her common sense and knowledge applied.

"Now, Lady Zerbst. I believe my Master deserves an apology." 'Archer' stated plainly.

Kirche looked at directly at Louise's 'familiar' and she could only describe the feeling that she seemed to emanate as utter devotion. In her mind she still doubts about the summoning, but in her heart she knew Louise had beaten her. The young white haired woman was exactly as Louise claimed her familiar would be. She sighed and turned to Louise, who seems to still be in shock like many of the other students behind them, and called to her. "Louise."

Kirche's voice snapped Louise out of her shock, "…huh?" although she did not sound to be over it.

"I apologize for everything I said this morning." She said as she bowed her head in the appropriate apologetic pose.

"Wow... Kirche, I never thought you'd actually do it." Louise said with a slightly dumbfounded voice.

"This is such a disgrace. To think I'm the first von Zerbst to apologize to a de la Valliere. It's the greatest shame in my life." Kirche sighed, remained silent for a moment before she raised her head and said with pride, "But I'll get over it."

"Your moods switch too fast. Did you even mean what you said moments ago?" asked, slightly miffed at Kirche's speedy recovery.

Kriche laughed and said, "I was then. Too bad for you if you didn't get to relish it."

Archer just watched as her master and Kirche argued. It was not the same as before, it seemed more like a spat between two people who cannot bring themselves admit that they actually consider the other a friend. She took her master's distraction precious time for her to use to clean up the used dishes; people barely even noticed she had left until she returned.

After the excitement, Louise decided to spend her free time to show 'Archer' around the school. Most of the Magic Academy's facilities and classrooms were built in the central spire, so giving a tour was a simple task. Half way through the tour, Louise found herself looking at 'Archer' take in her surroundings as if to memorize every small detail. She wondered why she was doing so. Was it a habit of hers? Or was this old beaten up looking school actually interesting to her?

When she surfaced from the pool of her thoughts she realized that 'Archer' was looking at her, her head slightly a bowed in respect.

"Master." She called.

"Yes?"

"Have I done something to displease you?" 'Archer' asked monotonously.

"No! o-of course not!" Louise didn't know why, but her whole being reacted. She waved her arms here and there, slightly panicked. "You have been really helpful all morning."

'Archer' simply looked at her, blinked quietly a few times before she said, "I see… then please forgive in advance if I misinterpreted, but are you in away disappointed, Master?"

"Huh?..." Louise pondered the question for a second before she gave a reply, "No. Why do you ask?"

"You had the look of disappointment on your face earlier, Master."

"Eh? I did?" Without much though Louise reached for her face with both hands and even tried to look at her reflection on the widow. She caught sight of her familiar's form in the translucent reflection that slowly nodded to her question. It only took a moment for Louise to realize that she had given her a good chance to ask what had been on her mind this morning.

"It not that I'm displeased with you… It's just that I've noticed committed… a fault… in our… relationship…" Louise could help but feel shamed as she said those words, as a noble apologizing or explaining one's faults did not come easy.

'Archer', seemingly ignored the fact that this was hard for her, simply asked, "And what would that be, Master?"

Louise coughed to clear her throat, a trick that usually helped remove some of one's nervousness. Then she said, "I have yet to allot a small portion of my time to a formal introduction." She tried to ignore the very obvious tilt her white haired familiar's head had done when she said so. With another cough, she deflected the gaze that looked at her as if to say 'That is unnecessary, Master.' And introduced herself. "My name is Louise Francoise Le Blanc de La Valliere."

Louise watched with a bit of a shock as the tilt of her familiar's head was righted before tilting to the other side. "W-w-what is your name?" She decided to just be done with it and ask her directly as it seems that she would not get the correct response being indirect.

"My apologies, Master." 'Archer' bowed sharply. "But I cannot recall my name at this time."

This surprised Louise. "What do you mean?"

"I am not sure how or why, but I believe that my memories have been suppressed when I was summoned here." explained the white haired woman.

"You're memories are missing?" Louise felt a heavy twinge at her heart. Like a strong solid fang of guilt piercing her heart for committing a sacrilegious sin.

'Archer' shook her head. "I believe it's merely sealed from my conscious access, but for some of them to be completely erased from my being is certainly a possibility."

Those words felt heavy for Louise. Heavier than all the times she had failed to cast a spell properly. So heavy that she earnestly apologized, "I'm sorry."

"Please do not worry, Master. I believe that I can still serve and protect you even with only the things I do know now. I'm confident that there are few tasks that I cannot do f-"

"That's not it!" Louise interrupted almost shouting out. She felt annoyed that she was more concerned about the lost memories than the one who had lost it.

"…Master?" Louise imagined a hint of worry in her empty tone.

"It's just sad isn't? Because of me… because I summoned you, you've lost your precious memories. Experiences, happy times, people you treasure- lost because of me, because a failure of a mage was the one that summoned you…" She couldn't help it. She didn't know what it was that triggered such a strong guilt for her to even acknowledge her failure as a mage on her own. If she had summoned a male instead, no matter how handsome, she probably would not have reacted in the same way as she was right now. Or would she? She felt her guilt grow from the malice of her hypothetical thoughts.

She was so busy punishing herself in her head, that she didn't notice the taller woman kneel so that they were nearly face to face until a soft snow white hand gently clasped her cheek. "Ah!" Louise yelped in surprise, before mumbling her servant's only known identification. "Ar-cher…"

"I am blessed with such a kindhearted master." She said as she softly wiped a tear that threatened to fall from Louise's eye. "Worry not, Master. All was not lost from me."

Louise brightened a little and asked, "You mean that there is still something that you remember?"

But the white haired woman shook her head, but she did so with a smile. "I have this feeling. That I am strongly connected with this title of mine."

"Title?" Louise pondered for a moment, "Servant Archer?" muttered as she recalled the first words the woman in front of her had spoke.

"Yes. Archer. I feel that fate has bound me to the name. So please do not worry. Whether I remember my past or not- you are my master." Louise was entranced. Archer's eyes that had been empty since yesterday now looked like they were smiling for her.

Louise hanged her head and looked down. "I wish I knew what I've done to deserve you."

In an un-servant like fashion, Archer lightly patted her master's head. "Sometimes wishes are the most powerful magic, Master."

**[Servant of Zero: End]**

**Author's note: **I wrote this about a year or two ago. I had intended to write a long what if story about a Holy Grail War in the ZnT universe and a prequel fic in FSN about 'Shirouko'/'Emilyasviel'. Seems like a good idea at the time, but then procrastination hit and then I don't really know where to go with it from here. So instead I cleaned this chapter up (a little, I got lazy part way) and present this to all Archerko and ZnT x cross over fans as a one shot. I hope you enjoyed it and maybe inspired some other fan authors in my place.

If anyone was wondering about the runic familiar branding event being a little different, I had intended for servants to have more passive abilities from their runes. In this case Windalf's ability became passive in the sense that she is simply trusted by animals and magical creatures instead of having control over them.


End file.
